A conversation with a reader about Thole and Murphy

A reader emailed me yesterday to discuss Josh Thole and Daniel Murphy - he of the amazing mustache - and their low OBP.

The conversation follows below...

Reader:

Can you please address the abysmal OBP's of Daniel Murphy and Josh Thole? It is the only reason they are on the team.

Do you also find Mike Nickeas' presence to be insulting to the other ball club?

Me:

I'm not sure I understand the question about Thole and Murphy's OBP? How is that the only reason they're on the team?

And yes, Mike Nickeas is awful.

Reader:

Well thanks for getting back to me.

I mean they serve no other purpose, actually this probably could be a good blog post but what do i know, you are the blogger.

They are Mets major leaguers because of their ability to get on base, more evidence to that fact are:
1) They have no power
2) They are both lousy at defense (one could argue significant improvement from Thole but one cannot argue that is how he got to this point)
3) They have no speed
4) What am I missing? (High OBP got them to the majors, which they are not doing right now)

What do you think of it? 

Me:

Well, who are you going to replace them with? Sure, they're only OBPing in the low .300s, but as you said... Mike Nickeas can't take over for Thole. Rob Johnson? Nope. Lucas May? Nope.  

And for Murphy... you want Valdespin out there every game? Sure, he's hitting lately, but he's not proven and his glove may be worst than Murphy's. You have to remember Murphy is in a deeeeeeeeeeep slump right now, too. 

And Thole/Nickeas are faced with Dickey's knuckleball every five days. You've seen how fooled hitters are with the pitch - catchers are just as confused too!

Reader:

Yeah but now we see that they can't be a part of our future and must be terminated quickly. 

Me:

Thole is the catcher for the foreseeable future. Murphy is being moved around yearly to find him a spot. Neither positions are being threatened by players in the minors. These are the guys for right now and probably for a few years to come.

Reader:

Impossible situation to win carrying the both of them getting on base at a 300 clip.  

Me:

Who would you put in their places?

I'm still waiting on a response.